Traceable - IBM Sustainability
Designed as part of a collaborative IBM Enterprise Design project, Traceable explores how transparency and gamification can motivate consumers to make more sustainable choices.
Client:
Traceable - IBM
Category:
Speculative Product Design, Research
My Role:
Designer and Project Manager
Most sustainability efforts stop at the point of sale. Traceable asks — what if the product's story didn't end there?
Traceable is a speculative circular economy platform designed for consumer goods brands. The concept centers on a QR code on product packaging that gives consumers visibility into the full supply chain — from where it was grown, to how it was made, to what to do with it once they're done.
Three surfaces, one system
"From its origin to the point of sale — and beyond."
The platform spans three touchpoints: a consumer mobile app that makes the supply chain explorable and rewards sustainable disposal choices; a brand-facing marketing website that positions Traceable as a trust-building partner; and a client analytics dashboard that gives businesses real-time visibility into scan data, product location, and consumer behavior.
Consumer Mobile Experience
Scan the QR code on your packaging and instantly see where your product has been — from the farm it was planted on, through the distribution network, to the market, and into your hands. Each stop in the journey is timestamped and detailed, so "responsibly sourced" actually means something.
Once you've traced it, the fun bit: spin the wheel to earn rewards for sustainable disposal choices, complete challenges, and keep the circular loop going. "Give it a second life" isn't just a tagline — it's a CTA.
Client
Analytics Dashboard
The brand-side of Traceable gives businesses the full picture — total scans, rewards fulfilled, user numbers, and where products are actually being purchased. The dashboard surfaces scan trends over time, retailer-level breakdowns (Tesco, ALDI, Sainsbury's), and month-on-month reward spend, so sustainability isn't just a value statement — it's measurable.
The company member portal is structured across four sections: Dashboard for overview and KPIs, Products to manage and edit listings, Analytics for location scans and scan volume, and Settings for team and billing. Everything a brand needs to close the loop on their own data.
Marketing
Website
The public-facing site is where brands decide if Traceable is worth their time. It leads with impact — 7,282 tons of food waste saved, 11,290 active users, 104 cities — and walks businesses through a three-step certification process: Register & Assess, Learn & Practice, Get Certified.
The site spans six sections across Homepage, Demo Model, Impact, Businesses, Certification, and About & Contact — covering everything from how the platform works to client testimonials and an interactive dashboard demo. Trusted by names like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and M&S, the pitch is simple: sustainability you can actually prove.
Designing for behavior, not just awareness
"The hard part wasn't the data. It was making people care about it."
The insight driving the design: knowing something is sustainable isn't enough to change behavior. So we layered in gamification — rewards and benefits for circular actions like composting or returning packaging — turning a passive scan into an ongoing loop.
Process
Grounded in IBM Enterprise Design Thinking — empathy maps, stakeholder mapping, needs statements, and speculative design stories — the project moved from research to concept to testable wireframes across a collaborative team brief.